Bernie Sanders Has an Obama Problem

He needs to find a way to critique the administration without alienating black voters who are protective of the president.

February 12, 2016

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders speaks at a Democratic presidential primary debate at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, on February 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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I honestly don’t think Senator Bernie Sanders meant to say that he, a white guy from Vermont, would do a better job of handling American race relations than President Obama. But that’s essentially what he said in Thursday night’s PBS debate with Hillary Clinton. After noting that “relations between the races” hadn’t gotten better under Obama, Judy Woodruff asked him: “So race relations would be better under a Sanders presidency than they’ve been?” And he answered, “Absolutely.”

That’s an example of the way Sanders’s laudable self-confidence, and his passionate belief in big, systemic change, is causing problems for his candidacy when it comes to the issue of Obama. Combine that answer with Sanders’s claim, earlier the same day, that Obama hadn’t offered the “presidential leadership” to close the gap between Congress and the American people, and it’s clear the campaign is hitting some potholes on its way to the crucial South Carolina primary on February 27.

I don’t think Sanders heard Woodruff’s question the way she meant it—as a contrast with Obama. What presidential candidate wouldn’t promise “I will improve race relations, absolutely!” But she’d asked the same question of Clinton, who was savvy enough to reject the premise that Obama hadn’t done enough to heal the racial divide. “I’m just not sure I agree completely with that assessment,” she told Woodruff.

Sanders’s extended answer didn’t help him either. How will he improve race relations? Here’s what he said:

What we will do is say, instead of giving tax breaks to billionaires, we are going to create millions of jobs for low-income kids so they’re not hanging out on street corners. We’re going to make sure that those kids stay in school or are able to get a college education. And I think when you give low-income kids, African Americans, white, Latino kids the opportunities to get their lives together, they are not going to end up in jail. They’re going to end up in the productive economy, which is where we want them.

Again, I’m sure he didn’t mean it this way, but Sanders essentially said that race relations will improve when black kids stop hanging out on street corners and live productive lives instead. That would be the worst of respectability politics, if that’s what Sanders meant. I don’t think it is. But almost as bad: That answer shows he hasn’t thought deeply about the roots of racism; he still defaults to his belief that economic equality is the answer to the deep-seated problems of institutionalized white supremacy in America’s past and present.

Sanders essentially said that race relations will improve when black kids stop hanging out on street corners.

But it’s the issue of Obama that’s giving Sanders his toughest political challenge right now. Some of that is unavoidable. His candidacy is premised on the fact that the political establishment—and that includes the president—refuses to create meaningful solutions to the problems of income inequality, student debt, and, yes, race relations, because it’s beholden to forces that profit from the way things are. Sanders genuinely believes Obama hasn’t done enough—and on some issues, he’s right.

The administration rescued the banks from the brink of disaster, but did little to help their victims. His team chose not to prosecute or punish the people responsible for the crisis. And back when Sanders was suggesting Obama should face a primary challenge, there were many people on the left—I was among them—who disagreed, but who were also discouraged at his efforts to reach a “grand bargain” with Republicans that would have cut Social Security and Medicare in exchange for some tax hikes. Sanders can’t disavow all of his criticisms of the president, nor should he.

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But given that political bind, he should go out of his way to avoid unfair, unnecessary criticism, like the kind he delivered on Thursday. Sanders doesn’t—yet—grasp the sense of protectiveness and pride many African Americans feel about the president. In a November 2014 interview with NPR’s Steve Inskeep, he was rather dismissive of black support for Obama:

What you got is an African-American president, and the African-American community is very, very proud that this country has overcome racism and voted for him for president. And that’s kind of natural…. But that’s not important. You should not be basing your politics based on your color. What you should be basing your politics on is, how is your family doing?

Sanders may find out the hard way that African-American voters don’t enjoy being instructed as to what they should base their politics on.

The Clintons learned the hard way, eight years ago. Their increasingly tone-deaf and sometimes racially tinged attacks on Obama helped accelerate then-Senator Clinton’s loss of black support—including the defection of civil-rights hero Representative John Lewis, who endorsed Clinton on Thursday.

No doubt Clinton is enjoying the role reversal, which feels unfair to his supporters, especially African-American Sanders backers. “The kind of criticism [of Obama] I hear from Senator Sanders, I expect from Republicans,” she said in Thursday night’s debate. “I do not expect it from someone seeking the Democratic nomination.” That’s politically opportunistic, of course. But Sanders should listen to her anyway.

Joan WalshTwitterJoan Walsh, The Nation’s national-affairs correspondent, is the author of What’s the Matter With White People? Finding Our Way in the Next America.

the black community will choose its candidate independent of race. they're not in lock step, by any stretch of the imagination.

(1)(0)

Peter Whitesays:

February 16, 2016 at 10:10 am

I submitted this contrary view to the Nation after reading Walsh's article. Haven't heard back from anyone so I'm posting it here:
Why Does Clinton Want to wear Obama’s Old Coat?

When Clinton quit the Obama administration. she seemed to be following the plot of another strong woman, Sigourney Weaver, who played her in the USA Network miniseries, Political Animals. In episode 1, the former First Lady reveals she will run for President against the man who beat her in the last election and then asked her to serve as his Secretary of State. Sound familiar?

Fast forward a couple of years and the Clinton campaign is in full swing. Hillary has covered herself with Obama’s mantle as the loyal democrat who will continue his legacy and in the February 11th debate on PBS she slammed Sanders for not supporting the President, who she mentioned 21 times.

While that may solidify her support among the party faithful, history may not be on Clinton’s side. Nixon tried to inherit the White House from Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 but lost to Jack Kennedy. John McCain lost to Obama after eight years of George Bush. Term limits or unpopularity replaces one party with the other every one or two presidential elections. There are exceptions. FDR served four times as President.

While Clinton hopes to be the first woman to hold that office, it’s no sure thing, even if she secures the nomination. Obama’s overall job approval rating has stagnated around 50% for some time, according to the Gallup poll. It’s hard to see how declaring herself heir to Obama’s throne will help Clinton. Half the country doesn’t like him and Clinton’s job approval ratings before she left the State Department were as low as Obama’s are now.

As Benjamin Studebaker wrote in the February 11th edition of the Huffpost Politics blog, “Bernie Sanders is not merely running to attempt to implement a set of idealistic policies that a Republican-controlled Congress is likely to block. He is running to take the Democratic Party back from an establishment that ignores the fundamental systemic economic problems that lead to wage stagnation and economic crisis. “ And then adds, “The last time a democratic primary was this important, it was 1976…The chance may not come again for quite some time.”

When FDR beat Herbert Hoover in 1932, he was the popular Governor of New York. He picked one of his rivals, a Southerner named John Nance Garner from Texas, who was Speaker of the House, to be his running mate. That combination united the Democratic Party and Roosevelt won the election.

If the Sanders/Clinton race divides the party, no such rapprochement will occur. If Clinton alienates too many Sanderistas by engaging in juvenile discourse with snipes and putdowns, they simply won’t show up at the polls and the Republicans will take the White House. On the other hand, if Clinton continues her negative campaign tactics against Sanders and he prevails despite them, he will face a similar problem. Too many Clinton supporters will desert the Democratic ranks and vote for the other guy, whoever he is, because he will be another establishment candidate.
FDR was a cripple and he still won, maybe being a socialist won’t be an impossible thing for Sanders to overcome.

(0)(2)

Alex Thompsonsays:

June 26, 2016 at 5:24 am

There seems to be an assumption here that Senator Sanders hasn't been engaging in negative attacks. His entire campaign is based on him being the holiness person in the room, shaming people into agreeing with him, and making constant negative insinuation against Clinton. Basically a Zealot.

(1)(0)

Steve Muratoresays:

February 15, 2016 at 6:05 pm

Hillary Clinton has a Hillary Clinton problem.

Watch Joan Walsh rationalize Hillary's laughing at a rape victim.

https://youtu.be/KMUqxPA5Zgw

(3)(3)

Richard Phelpssays:

February 14, 2016 at 7:03 pm

I think The Nation has a Joan Walsh problem. Principle criticism is fine. Maybe some day Joan Walsh will practice that with regard to the democratic primary.

(6)(5)

Steve Muratoresays:

February 15, 2016 at 6:09 pm

Yes, The Nation does have a Joan Walsh problem.

Joan IS "in the tank" for Hillary. It's one thing to advocate for your candidate. It's something altogether different when she rationalizes Hillary laughing at a rape victim. I posted the youtube link in my previous comment to this article.

(1)(2)

Richard Phelpssays:

February 14, 2016 at 7:05 pm

"Principled criticism "Self correct can be a pain.

(0)(3)

Kevin Conwaysays:

February 14, 2016 at 3:22 pm

I think Joan Walsh may have implied Sanders has a hearing problem. Nit picking? But she does it all the time about Sanders using "they" instead of "she" or whatever. Look for an upcoming piece from Walsh with a glancing reference to Bernie's shoe size.

(4)(5)

Dominick Buscemisays:

February 14, 2016 at 3:06 pm

Sanders was being honest. Walsh's take on his reply that millions of jobs will get kids of the streets is a failed attempt to imply racism. Kids are on the streets because there are no good jobs, create good jobs and kids have a meaningful way to spend their time. Sounds very logical, if you're not a racist.

(10)(6)

Kevin Conwaysays:

February 14, 2016 at 10:52 am

Hillary Clinton has a surrogate problem. The score so far for the primary season -- Hillary 4, Sanders 0. Three non apology apologies from Steinem, Albright and John Lewis....one no apology from Jonathan (Clinton Hardball) Capehart for his totally false photo smear of civil rights era Sanders. Save the false equivalencies about the despicable Bernie Bros. They were not surrogates and Sanders doesn't no them. Hillary has a surrogate problem.

(4)(5)

Kevin Conwaysays:

February 14, 2016 at 10:54 am

*know

(0)(1)

Clyde Grubbssays:

February 14, 2016 at 7:43 am

What does the term "racial relations" mean? I think Sanders should have asked that question back to Judy Woodruff, because it isn't clear to me, and I have been active in movements aimed at fighting racism since 1960. I think Sanders answer was as good as it gets based on the ambiguity of the question.

Peoples of Color lost most of their assets during the economic crash brought on by financial speculators. And a Sanders administration would address the wealth gap, systemically.
Right answer, to one possible meaning of that question.

(14)(5)

Sher Thomsonsays:

February 14, 2016 at 4:10 am

Joan Walsh should have called this thinly-veiled attack on Bernice Sanders as his 'black [or racist] problem', not his 'Obama problem'.
Walsh has been a deep-dyed Hillary supporter since Clinton's first presidential campaign, dismissing and rigidly categorizing consistently in Salon.com those who criticized Clinton
as 'Hillary-haters'.
On Hardball a few weeks ago she couldn't answer a simple question on the Democratic candidates with any specificity, just white-washed Clinton in generalities.
Walsh's article should be entitled not 'Sanders' Obama problem but his [read racist] black problem.
Walsh is herself an opportunist cleverly disguised as a thoughtful pundit.

[Note: Nation program won't allow me to scroll upwards and edit.]

(11)(8)

Sher Thomsonsays:

February 14, 2016 at 4:20 am

In my comment I see that my spelling know-it-all on my phone has done it again, referred to Sanders as 'Bernice'. ]

I forgot to recommend to Hillary-hugging Joan Walsh the renowned Columbia University professor
Jeffrey Sachs' article in Huffingtonpost.com on Feb. 5th called 'Hillary the Candidate...' (for the Military Industrial Complex). As well as see The Intercept for a review of the book, Kissinger's Shadow, on the extreme damage Hillary's (current) friend, Henry Kissinger has done over the years and how his many decisions keep on giving distruction.

(6)(4)

Anthony Margrafsays:

February 13, 2016 at 3:08 pm

A lot of so called blacks including some leaders believe Obama has not done enough for race relations, it is obvious Obama felt he had walk a narrow line in his situation, for Joan's information, when Rep. Lewis said he never saw Sanders during the 60's. one thing for sure he had no ability to see Hillary, she was not thereat all. he was an ardent supporter of Goldwater who voted against the 60's civil rights laws, admire Lewis otherwise here he is off base. WAKE UP

(15)(11)

William Cashsays:

February 13, 2016 at 2:34 pm

Joan, I'm pretty sure you are a Clinton supporter because of the way you interpreted what Sanders said. He's absolutely right that race relation got worse but it wasn't Obama's fault. The republicans rather openly used race an issue. Yes it probably will get btter under Sanders because the republicans can't use those tactics against him. No he didn't say black kids are hanging out on street corners but some honesty is called for here. Their educational level is worse than Asian or white kids and his effort would be to close that gap. You put a racially tinged slant to it.

(22)(6)

Shawn Terrysays:

February 13, 2016 at 1:49 pm

Having tried - unsuccessfully - to paint Sanders' supporters as sexist, the next trick in the tired old Clinton playbook is to assert the candidate is tinged with racism. A lack of "deep thought" about the root causes of racism and the like. Subtle implications that he has done nothing for African Americans and the not so subtle, if laughable, assertion by surrogates that he is racially insensitive because he dares criticize the President. I hope African-American voters can see that the Clintons are trying to use them as pawns in their endless pursuit of political power. Disingenuous at best. Racist at worse....

(50)(14)

Shawn Terrysays:

February 13, 2016 at 1:44 pm

This seems to me a most "artful smear"

(33)(11)

Carolyn Herzsays:

February 13, 2016 at 10:06 am

Bernie Sanders' assertion in the February 11 debate that he has a right, even an obligation, as a U.S. senator to criticize the president when he disagrees with his actions is well taken. To me, effusively praising the President merely because he is African-American is itself condescending and racist.

(51)(9)

Nannette Crocesays:

February 13, 2016 at 9:36 am

People should have realized that our first African-American president could not be an African-American president. He stated many times in his campaign -- and then had to prove during his administration--that he could be a president of all the people. Recall how, early on, he had to walk back from saying that what the police did in arresting Henry Louis Gates was "stupid." In that sense, having an African-Amercan president did no more for blacks living in poverty than a smashed glass ceiling will do for women working at McDonald's. Bernie isn't telling shiftless black kids to get off street corners. He's saying that fighting racism is a lot easier from a position of economic security. It's not in criticizing Obama that Sanders has to tread carefully but in saying, as a socialist, that racial division stands in the way of class solidarity. And it's not just white guys preaching this. Remember Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition?

(31)(6)

Andy Selessays:

February 13, 2016 at 5:14 am

Bill Curry was prescient in his 2014 article in Salon: "One reason we know voters will embrace populism is that they already have. It’s what they thought they were getting with Obama. In 2008 Obama said he’d bail out homeowners, not just banks. He vowed to fight for a public option, raise the minimum wage and clean up Washington. He called whistle-blowers heroes and said he’d bar lobbyists from his staff. He was critical of drones and wary of the use of force to advance American interests. He spoke eloquently of the threats posed to individual privacy by a runaway national security state.
He turned out to be something else altogether. To blame Republicans ignores a glaring truth: Obama’s record is worst where they had little or no role to play. It wasn’t Republicans who prosecuted all those whistle-blowers and hired all those lobbyists; who authorized drone strikes or kept the NSA chugging along; who reneged on the public option, the minimum wage and aid to homeowners. It wasn’t even Republicans who turned a blind eye to Wall Street corruption and excessive executive compensation. It was Obama.
A populist revolt among Democrats is unlikely absent their reappraisal of Obama, which itself seems unlikely. Not since Robert Kennedy have Democrats been so personally invested in a public figure. Liberals fell hardest so it’s especially hard for them to admit he’s just not that into them." (Essay: 'My party has lost its soul: Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and the victory of Wall Street Democrats") Now you know why Hillary has joined herself at the hip to Obama; it's all a continuation of the "third wave," neoliberal policies of the Clinton administration.

(86)(17)

Guillermo Romerosays:

February 14, 2016 at 8:33 pm

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who feels this way.

(2)(2)

Rhoda Seidlersays:

February 13, 2016 at 1:42 pm

Mr. Seles is right on every count. And I voted for President Obama, twice.

(21)(4)

Jonathan Berrysays:

February 12, 2016 at 10:37 pm

Joan has long been one of my favorite writers, but her work of late - this piece included - has been truly disappointing. Her loss of objectivity and sound thinking in support of Hillary is painfully obvious.

Whether Joan Walsh supports Clinton or not, I think her observation is spot on here. I really hope that Bernie will hear this critique and take it to heart. BTW I'm a Boomer who supports Bernie all the way.

(30)(37)

Darlene Wolfesays:

February 12, 2016 at 6:53 pm

Blame placing is not the same as criticism of another's failure to achieve all of his or her goals. Obama admits he tried too hard to work with and negotiate with Republicans. Bernie compliments Obama on his work and efforts but also wanted to see more progress as many of us did.
Much of race relations relies on changing both minds and hearts by education and experience but also vastly changing the economic realities of over 67% of our citizenry. Fair taxation with elimination of loopholes, corporate tax evasion, and legislation to benefit the powerful lobbies will provide billions to rebuild the infrastructure, create jobs, feed the needy, protect the vulnerable, and create livable wages.
In my opinion, Bernie needs to remind people that only 37% of eligible voters voted in 2014 and the Republicans had a landslide. Bernie's revolution requires not only voters but qualified people to run for office at all level of governance. Had more people voted, the Democrats would have retained the Senate and had more Progressives and Moderate in the House. To get the progress Bernie wants, he needs his supporters and their friends to get involved, to become factually aware and vote in their own best self-interest.
As a liberal and progressive, I would personally prefer a Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren ticket winning with appointments of qualified individuals of all races and ethnicity to serve our nation's needs.

(58)(19)

Karin Eckvallsays:

February 12, 2016 at 5:28 pm

Actually, all he has to do is point out explicitly the strategy Hillary is using with respect to President Obama, and/or Hillary's repeated criticisms of Obama, particularly in the area of foreign policy.

(29)(12)

John Groomssays:

February 12, 2016 at 3:53 pm

Thank you for white 'splainin' black voters for us. Did it ever occur to you that your critique of Sanders here is maybe, just maybe, a wee, teeny, tiny bit patronizing toward African Americans? I mean, I'm a 66-year-old white man from the South and I see it clear as day. It's your right to be a Hillary stalking horse, of course, but surely you realize it won't exactly help your rep as a reliable witness to the ins and outs of our system. Hillary is too compromised and, frankly, a day late and a dollar short with the progressive ideas she's rolled out -- as well as the sudden XOXOs for Obama -- since she realized Sanders was giving her a run for her money. As Sanders noted last night, only one of them has run an actual campaign against Obama, and it's not Bernie.

(72)(26)

James Duselsays:

February 12, 2016 at 3:17 pm

The elephant in the room is that the current President has indeed been a disappointment, doing little, trying to do little to achieve the vision he painted for all citizens, regardless of color. Remember Obama in Berlin? Rarely has he lived up to what he seemed to be that day as he spoke to all of us - a world hoping for something better. Was it bait and switch or a failure of courage? I truly don't know. I have defended him for years, but I am now sixty-six years old and I feel cheated. I voted for him twice - and in the midterms, too - but I see precious little legacy that he has achieved.

(70)(26)

Charlie Pricesays:

February 12, 2016 at 3:11 pm

Joan - I enjoy your writing. I look forward to the end of the primary when you rediscover your . . . ethos.

(44)(16)

Subhash Reddysays:

February 12, 2016 at 1:35 pm

You seem to be hellbent on being a 'trojan horse' in Bernie's campaign! First, you demanded that Hillary is woman hence dump Bernie. Now, you trump up a non-issue about Blacks getting upset because of what Bernie said about Barrack. You are intelligent enough to not insult the intelligence of all Black voters. It is well known that majority of Blacks, Latinos and Liberals are disappointed that Barrack has not used his bully pulpit and executive power to improve race relations and help the poor and the middle classes and the undocumented workers. I don't hink, nay I know, that Blacks will get offended because Bernie criticizes Barrack. Blacks are intelligent, capable and patriotic enough to not fall into this tricky trap.

(86)(25)

Joanne Obriensays:

February 12, 2016 at 1:17 pm

have the utmost respect for Congressman John Lewis. I take what he says seriously. But am I to understand that Hillary has a better record???? Was she marching with him when he was beaten to within an inch of his life???
Only Bernie is stating the obvious regarding why low income, low education whites are voting for the GOP, and that is rank racism among the rich and powerful (both Democratic and Republican). The GOP is more overt in manipulating the white poor to see "people not like them" as the cause of their circumstances. They lie and tell them that they can be millionaires and all that is keeping them back is that "the others" are taking their place. Only Bernie is stating that whites are furious that their "American Dream", promised as a birthright is now being denied them. Only Bernie acknowledges that for African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans, that was never the case. Only Bernie is pointing to the TRUE cause of all our misery.
Young people are more likely to see through the divisive lies and go for Bernie. Hillary "talks the talk" about racism, but I don't see where she "walks the walk." She is a "Rahm Emmanuel" Democrat and a "Corporatist" to the core.

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Anne Jureksays:

February 12, 2016 at 1:16 pm

"(Bernie) needs to find a way to critique the administration without alienating black voters who are protective of the president."
Or maybe, just maybe, Hillary needs to stop with the race-baiting undertones by impugning Sanders for daring to disagree with her sudden buddy Obama.

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Jonathan Berrysays:

February 12, 2016 at 10:44 pm

Couldn't have said it better. Hillary's strategy is so obvious as to be insulting to any thinking person. And Hillary, black people do think.

(34)(15)

Lindsay Haisleysays:

February 12, 2016 at 1:09 pm

Dr. Cornell West and Tavis Smiley have no problem criticizing Obama. I'm supposedly a white guy, and I agree with them. Bernie should too.

(72)(20)

Allene Swienckowskisays:

February 12, 2016 at 1:07 pm

Ms. Walsh, you seem to paint all black voters with the same brush of commitment. What you seem to miss that there are many black voters that feel that Barack Obama did not do enough for black folks. Like white voters, and hopefully women voters as well, we are not a collective voice that can be swayed by a perceived insult to one of our own. This is not the OJ trial; you know, where most whites felt the only reason that OJ was not charged with the murders of Ron and Nicole and are okay with the fact the man was railroaded into prison in Vegas, because the majority of folks on the jury where black. How very sad of the media to once gain to diminish the ability of black people to employ reasoned judgement. But then, we have journalists like you that keep fanning the flames about our inability to deal with the facts!

(67)(16)

Eva Knightsays:

February 12, 2016 at 1:06 pm

I think he does need to be more careful how he answers these questions. I believe part of the reason the President has been unable to accomplish many of his goals is the right wing's response to his color. This is a really delicate area.

(41)(20)

Anita Frankelsays:

February 12, 2016 at 10:06 pm

Well put.

(4)(6)

Anne Jureksays:

February 12, 2016 at 1:55 pm

No question that the Republican obstructionism against Obama had strong racist elements. But Obama's decision to let Wall Street off with a wrist slap and not help citizens hurt by Wall Street was all his own. I'm sure there is a "delicate" way to put that.

(53)(10)

Anita Frankelsays:

February 12, 2016 at 10:24 pm

There is a difference between citing Obama's many failures, and telling the black community that the solution to racism lies in getting those shiftless kids off the corner and into job training . American society is stratified by more than economic class. People of color in all economic classes are at risk for being reminded of their inferior racial status, their Otherness, on a daily basis.

(13)(11)

Richard Phelpssays:

February 14, 2016 at 6:47 pm

Bernie didn't call them shiftless. Why are you?

(8)(2)

Philip Millersays:

February 12, 2016 at 12:57 pm

Bernie's biggest problem has nothing to do with any of this. And you are twisting the meaning of all of this.

The single biggest difference between Democrats and Republicans is "long windedness."

Ask any Republican a question and they usually have a short memorable answers. May be wrong -- but it is memorable. "Make America Great again."

Democrats ALWAYS answer with a series of 8 points. Kerry was the absolute worst . Bernie is falling into the same trap. Droning on and on. Make it short and memorable.

He is doing the right thing for which you are not giving him credit. It is not a black issue as much as a low income economic question. He is right about militarization of police.

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Anita Frankelsays:

February 12, 2016 at 10:30 pm

You're right on the "long-windedness" score. Sometimes I fear that he's so insistent on all those talking points because he is still haunted by what has befallen progressive leaders throughout American history, once the oligarchs get moving to marginalize them. It's as if he has to get it all out right now, because he may be cast into oblivion at any moment.

Joan Walsh has sparked a needed conversation on Bernie's presentation of his progressive vision.

(9)(9)

R D Erlichsays:

February 12, 2016 at 9:44 pm

I was pretty certain that part of the problem for Presidential-candidate Kerry was too many years as a Senator where "Droning on and on" is a tradition. There's also the issue of way too many powerful people thinking they can wing it and ad lib decent oratory.
Coming across as casual and authentic takes a lot of training, practice, preparation, and rehearsal: for that "sweet swath," so to speak between a Marco-Rubio robocall and a Trump/Palin stream-of-consciousness ramble.

The other part of the problem is that politicians don't put out short, coherent, cogent position papers that reporters actually read. Ideally, the politician makes a pithy point and refers the reporter and the audience to the on-line position paper for nuance and details. Alternatively, the politician bullshits for a bit and a real journalist interrupts with something like, "I take it that you decline to answer the question. Should I repeat it, or should we move on to something you're ready to discuss?" (There's something to be said for a parliamentary system more polite than the British, but where politicians in power can be grilled by their almost-peers.)